Hello everyone, we hope you have been enjoying the fabulous spring weather! It’s hard to believe that Easter is already upon us, but here it is! There will be an Easter egg hunt at Del Curto park on Easter Sunday at 10 AM. We hope you and your little ones can get out to enjoy it.

A lot of things are buzzing in the neighborhood! Flowers and trees are gifting us with their beauty and their pollen. It looks like the Live Oaks are nearing the end of that cycle so perhaps the yellow hue can finally be washed off. We’ve got a lot of construction projects going on, and soon, hopefully very soon, we will have some sidewalks along Dead Man’s curve and on Thornton to help us get along more safely. Until that time, we really encourage everyone to be extra cautious due to the increase in traffic through the neighborhood. There will be a new stop sign on Dead Man’s curve as well, so please be alert to those changes. We regularly see pedestrians, cyclists, and speeding motorists on Clawson, Lightsey, Del Curto, and Thornton which is always a great concern. Please be careful out there!

Speaking of buzzing, I’ve noticed a lot of mosquitoes after the recent rains so it’s a very good time to remind everyone of the dangers they bring, and how to mitigate that. Please be on the lookout for standing water on your property. Buckets, flower pots, tires, even small flower pot trays can hold water and allow mosquitoes to spawn. There are a number of mosquito repellents available. Our Agrilife Extension agent, Wizzie Brown, wrote a recent newsletter addressing that we will include below for you.

Have a wonderful Spring season everyone!

From Wizzie Brown:

Mosquito Repellents

As mosquito season is ramping up, everyone is (hopefully) aware of possible disease transmission by mosquitoes. It is important that you protect yourself when spending time outside.

Activity times for mosquitoes can vary. Most people are familiar with the four D’s- DRAIN (standing water), DEET (wear some repellent), DUSK & DAWN (stay indoors during dusk and dawn to avoid peak populations) and DRESS (wear long sleeves and long pants). While this is still good advice, it may be a good idea to spread the dress and repellent advice for anytime you spend time outdoors.

When outside, wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt in light colors to reduce the number of mosquitoes that can reach your skin. Repellent should only be applied to clothing and exposed skin. Do not apply repellent underneath clothing! If you want to apply repellent to your face, spray your hands with repellent and rub it onto your face. Do not spray repellent directly into your face or near eyes or mouth. Make sure to apply repellent outdoors. Do not allow children to handle repellents. Wash hands before eating, smoking or using the restroom.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using a product registered with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) containing one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and some of the products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus.

DEET, also known N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diemethylbenzamide, was developed by the U.S. Army in 1946 to protect soldiers in insect-infested areas. Pesticides containing DEET have been used by the general public since 1957. Products containing DEET should not be used on children younger than 2 months of age (read the label and check with your pediatrician if you have questions). DEET has a slight odor and may have a greasy feel to some people. It may damage plastic, rubber, vinyl or synthetic fabrics. DEET may be irritating to the eyes and skin for some people. DEET comes in a wide variety of concentrations, so choose the one that will work best for your situation.

Picaridin was first made in the 1980’s and resembles a natural compound called piperine (which is found in plants used to produce black pepper). Picardin has been used in Europe and Australia for many years, but has only been in the U.S. since 2005. Picaridin is non-greasy and is odorless.

IR-3535, or 3-[N-Butyl-N- acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester, was developed in the mid- 1970’s and became registered for use in the U.S. in 1999. It is registered as a biopesticide by the EPA because it is functionally identical to a naturally occurring substance (an amino-acid). It may dissolve or damage plastics and may be irritating to the eyes.

Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD (para-menthane-3,8-diol) are essentially the same thing; PMD is the synthesized (lab created) version of oil of lemon eucalyptus. “Pure” or “essential” oil of lemon eucalyptus is not labeled as a repellent and has not undergone testing and should not be used as a repellent product. OLE/PMD has been on the market in the U.S. since 2002. OLE/PMD should not be used on children younger than 3 years of age. The natural product (OLE) has known allergens within it while the synthetic version (PMD) has less of a risk to allergens. This product is classified as a biopesticide. OLE/PMD has a varying range of residual, some offering about 20 minutes of protection while other products may last up to two hours.

Many factors play into how long a repellent will last for a person. Some of these are:

The concentration (or percent of active ingredient) of the product. You can find the percentage on the product label.

Person’s attractiveness. Some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others (and no scientific research has proven that it is because of eating garlic, taking vitamin B, using tobacco products, etc.). A person’s genetic code plays a large part on what makes a person so attractive to mosquitoes.

Frequency and uniformity of application. In other words, how often is the repellent applied and how good of coverage did you get?

Activity level of the person. The more active the person is, the more sweat they produce which can cause the repellent to wash off the surface of the skin.

As a word of caution, there are products that combine sunscreen and insect repellent. The CDC recommends that if you need sunscreen and repellent, that you choose two separate products. Sunscreen should be applied more often than repellents.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com

The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas A&M AgriLife Research is implied.

We made it through another summer, y’all! No more 100+ degree days. Maybe, just maybe (if the construction noise and dust aren’t too bad) we’ll be able to open the windows again soon. Fall is here and it’s a great time to get outside to our local parks, including our SLNA neighborhood park on Del Curto.

Maybe you’ve noticed the explosion of butterflies in the air. Fall is a really great time to plant nectar plants for next year, including those to help the monarchs. Check out these two articles from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center and Wizzie Brown our Extension Agent Specialist, that talk about butterflies.

Add this to the March excitement of Spring Break and SXSW – it’s honey bee swarm season! At least honey bees don’t add to our traffic woes. Our IPM Program Specialist, Wizzie Brown, clues us in to what’s happening with honey bees in the spring time, and what to watch out for. Let us know if you spot any swarms in the neighborhood!

Honey bee swarms

Honey bees are beneficial by producing honey, wax and pollinating crops. With warmer temperatures, honey bees are becoming more active and may soon begin to swarm.

Honey bee swarms look like a large clump of bees clustered together. The swarm may stay in a location from a few hours to a week. Swarms are produced as a part of the colony’s reproductive process. An established colony produces a new queen, causing the old queen and half the worker bees to leave the colony to search for a new nesting location. Swarming honey bees are usually gentle and unlikely to sting. Swarms are not protecting their home, food or offspring. Scout bees are sent out from the swarm to search for a nesting site. Colonies produce comb and honey and are defensive. Bees from a colony are more likely to sting as they are guarding their home, food and offspring.

Sometimes, honey bee colonies can be found in wall voids, chimneys, attics or sheds. If bees are in a wall void, DO NOT block their entrance; this makes them search for another way to exit and could lead bees into the structure. To keep bees from entering a home, seal any holes found in walls where pipes enter the home, cracks in window framing, knotholes, weep holes, or cracks between wood and brick junctures.

While many enjoy having honey bees around, some people are severely allergic to their venom. This, along with other situations, such as bees located near sensitive areas (such as playgrounds) may require removal or even extermination of the bees.

People should NOT try remove or exterminate bees on their own. Beekeepers and pest control companies have equipment to carry out these jobs in a safe manner. The city or county does not provide bee removal services.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com

Welcome to SLNA!

We are located along South Lamar Blvd. in Austin, Texas, representing neighborhood residents and property owners in issues vital to our community. Look for our regular meetings and other events on our calendar. Join us!

Development Projects

This map shows current and near-future development projects within the boundaries of our neighborhood

Next Meeting

Click here for info about the next meeting. Third thursday of even months, 7PM at the Faith United Methodist Church on South Lamar.